Since years I use slipstreamed Windows installations. This works very well, but preparing them is tedious :
1 - install a Windows with the last slipstreamed version we have (automated install)
2 - check Windowsupdate to see what's new, and take note
3 - download each new update available
4 - go to step 2 until no new update is available
5 - slipstream them into the last version we have (I already automated this step)

I'd like a way to automate parts or all of this.

Maybe a program able to know which updates are installed (already saw one, I don't remember which, and I know PowerShell can do this)... and able to download them ? Or to get them from local disk ?
So the steps become :
1 - install a Windows with the last slipstreamed version we have (automated install)
2 - use Windowsupdate until no new update is available (any way to automate ?)
3 - use the magic program
4 - slipstream

edit : my need is for Windows 7 and 2008, but the goal is to be general because other people may have other needs.

4 Answers
4

For Windows 7, I've broken this down into smaller chunks so that I have more control. This assumes that you have a directory structure like this and that you download the .msu updates from Microsoft to the updates folder:

c:\
- Win7
--- mount
--- updates
--- stagedupdates

You can obviously modify this to your liking. I also manually download the hotfixes that I'm slipstreaming so that I know exactly what's in my image.

@John. Read the question before hastily down voting. 1. He didn't specify an OS when I answered, he only put that in in an edit. 2. He then went on to say, although he is using Win7 that it would be worthwhile to post solutions for other OS's.
–
Ben Lessani - SonassiSep 28 '12 at 8:13

Am I missing something? Did John delete his comment?
–
jscottSep 28 '12 at 9:50

Well, I haven't slipstreamed or built a new system lately, but the workflow I've used in the past is to slipstream the latest service pack for my 'base' install media and then run WSUS Offline Update to get it up to date. WSUS Offline Update is a little script that downloads the latest patches, keeps them in a repository, and applies them to a running system.

The nice thing is, of course, you can set things up to run the updates unattendedly as part of an unattended install script - perhaps using a 'baseline' install and just keeping the updates in a single location to have a system that's patched up to the latest patches.

You can also have Windows 7, XP, 2k8 and office updates handled off of the same location. For small scale systems deployment it works great.

I prefer not to slipstream with each install. Quite simply, after a while it becomes a pain in the rear to constantly keep a disk slipstreamed and tested. It would probably take a little longer, but I consider my semi automated installs something I'd run during lunch and finish up later.